[Disclosure: Nick Chester, who is currently employed at Harmonix, previously worked at Destructoid. As always, no relationships, personal or professional, were factored into the review.]

It's a weird time to be Harmonix. It is hands down one of the most successful and influential independent developers of all time. It led the development and popularization of an entire genre of games over the last generation; who else can say that? At the height of its power, the company released a near-perfect game with Rock Band 3, and it's still just about the only studio to have ever done right by the Kinect.

But times change, the rhythm-game craze is over. All of those plastic instruments Harmonix built its name on are gathering dust in closets or bargain bins, and the masses openly celebrated when Microsoft took the Kinect out of the box. So what is Harmonix to do?

Harmonix's chaotic-looking but nonetheless stylish music-driven shoot-'em-up A City Sleeps is now available on Steam and there's currently a 10% discount bringing the price to $13.49.
While I typically shy away from bullet-h...

One of my favorite shoot 'em up series comes to iOS today. If you happen to have a Japanese account handy you can pick up Castle of Shikigami for 600 yen. Like most shmups on iOS it has auto-fire controls to facilitate t...

I don't know why but the PlayStation 3 version of Söldner-X has always had a special place in my heart. Maybe it's because it's one of my most-played games on the PS3 back in an era when it didn't have as many game...

If things work out as we expect them to, you'll soon see a trailer for Raiden V popping up on YouTube and our front page. The next in the line of shmups will come to the Xbox One next year in Japan, and most likely beyond.
There's a trailer running at Microsoft's Tokyo Game Show booth today. Stay tuned -- I'm sure we'll have it soon.

Revolver 360 RE:ACTOR launches its attack on PC tomorrow for $9.99, Playism announced today.
The shoot-'em-up comes by way of doujin studio Cross Eaglet, and is most notable for its eponymous swivel mechanic. The t...

Music has always been at the heart of what Harmonix does. From Rock Band to Dance Central to the extremely experimental Chroma, the studio's made sure that whatever the player's doing, they'll nod their head and tap their foot while doing it. Even when branching out as far as it is with its new project A City Sleeps, Harmonix never strays from its roots, and the game feels remarkably better off for it.

A City Sleeps is a game that Harmonix is dedicating only a fraction of its resources to. The team, comprised of only five people, was the group that was working on Chroma until the studio decided to indefinitely put it on the backburner. Not sure exactly how to mold something as ambitious as the musical first-person shooter, the team segued to something more manageable -- a twin-stick shoot-'em-up for PC.

Touhou Kishinjou: Double Dealing Character is now available for Windows PC via Playism Japan.
Initially released last summer at Comiket 84, Double Dealing Character is the fourteenth official entry in the Touhou Project,...

Ikaruga director Hiroshi Iuchi is working a new shoot-'em-up for PlayStation 4 called Ubusana.
The project comes from M2, the studio behind the Xbox 360 version of Cave's Bug Princess and Sega's remastered classics ...

Steel Empire is a game that not many people were able to experience, sadly. As a child, you likely only had access to either a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, which cut out a ton of potential classics for you to play and cherish as time's cold embrace passed you by.

I was very lucky to experience it for a few brief days attending a friend's house many years ago, and now, thanks to the magic of porting, everyone can give it a go on the 3DS. As long as the price point isn't too rich for your blood, you should jump on this opportunity.

Usually when one thinks about shmups, precision motor skill and quick reaction are what come to mind. Mighty Tactical Shooter turns that completely on its head. Though precision movement and shot placement is still required,...

Publisher Teyon has just confirmed to Destructoid that Steel Empire, the Sega Genesis and Game Boy Advance shoot-'em-up, will arrive on the 3DS eShop next Thursday. It's a classic steampunk-themed shooter that will feature f...

I can't believe Cuphead has only been in my life for less than a month after its quick E3 showing. I'm so attached to it already. It's the game I didn't know I needed. Forget these tired, 20-year old nostalgia trips. Ev...

Recently a free update dropped for Resgoun that added new features to the game, like a ship creator and full-on local co-op. Now we're getting a DLC in the form of Resogun Heroes, which adds two new modes and a new game worl...